First Race Prep

CakeLovinBeast

So I bit the bullet, I've signed up for my first couple of races to see if I actually have any ability in the world of 4th Cat racing... I'll be at the Somerset Road Club's Spring Circuit Races a week tomorrow, looking slightly confused, I don't doubt. It was recommended by clubmate as being relatively flat, long-ish (~3mi) circuits on a good surface. In my head, the translation ran something along the lines of, "No hills to blow up over, not too twisty, lower risk of punctures"! I'm looking forward to it.

However, I want to spend the next week ensuring that I'm as prepared as possible for the event, both in terms fitness and general prep. I know there are a few elements to this, and some will only come from experience, but I'll take whatever help I can get. With that in mind (and also bearing in mind that this is relating to the season in general, not just my first race):

- All of the interval training that I've been doing so far have been longer (2x20, 3x15) ones. Everything I've read about circuit racing suggests that I should also consider shorter intervals for bringing back breaks, accelerating out of corners and the like. Is there anything that I can do to help with this? Would 5x4 be useful, or should I be targeting shorter, harder efforts than that?
- All I know about 4th Cat racing suggests that it'll end in a bunch sprint whether I want it to or not. With that in mind I'm guessing that I don't want to be *too* active in chasing anybody that goes off the front? Beyond that is there anything I can do, training-wise, to improve my own sprinting ability?
- I'm actually reasonably happy (famous last words!) in terms of my preparation, but is there anything else that might not be apparent to the novice racer, that it might benefit me to know? I've used the "what's in your race bag" thread as a list of things to take, but just wondered if there were any other pearls of wisdom out there?

Thanks in advance for any/all of your help

Pseudonym

there's not a lot of additional training you can do now which will make any difference for next week - just keep doing whatever you're doing and make sure you go into the event feeling properly recovered and fresh. You will have a better idea of what other training you may need to be doing after the first event..

Herbsman

I get plenty of rest in the week before and do a few short hard efforts in the days leading up. Do a very short easy ride the day before with some hard efforts, e.g. 4 x 1 minute with 5 mins recovery

CakeLovinBeast

Cheers for that.

There's a bunch of us, who are all 4ths, who are doing a splinter group club ride on Sunday to get to know each other a bit better and to practice some group skills. I think a part of our issue (as is currently being talked about on the club's forum) is that the higher-end racers are well supported and encouraged, but those of us lower down/just starting out feel a little bit lost in knowing what to do or who to speak to. On the flipside, it looks like we can turn this into a positive and maybe promote racing at lower levels.

bonkstrong

Having just done my first ever 4th cat race I would say this - carry on training as you are. Ignore bringing back breaks etc, just get used to the movement of the bunch, it's a race within a race and very surreal the first time in it.

It's your first race so just stay safe and enjoy it, go for glory next time.

And and warm up properly, to the point of sweating. You need to get your body ready for the 120% effort that it's about to go through...

amaferanga

Too late now, but Hour of Power (Pain) workouts are good training for crits. You ride at a bit below threshold for an hour with a 30s 'sprint' every 2 or 3 minutes.

CakeLovinBeast

That'll do nicely, cheers.

I'm not looking to peak for next weekend - I know that the first event will highlight what I need to concentrate on, but any suggestions on what to work on moving forwards are appreciated. Come the longer days I can start putting in efforts on the chaingang, and doing longer rides, but I'm as much looking for things that will improve me further on down the line as much as I am for next weekend.

Thanks for all of the comments so far. I'm almost excited!

hammerite

One of the best pieces of advice I read on bikeradar about racing was to always make sure you're moving forward in relation to the pack. Not flying past everyone, just gradually edging forward forward. If you aim to maintain position then very soon you'll find yourself at the back of the bunch fighting to hold on.

Move gradually forward and you'll always be in the first few rows in the pack, although be conscious that you don't really want to get stuck on the front towing everyone round for what will seem an age!

rajMAN

and don't forget.......enjoy it!! it beats being at work anyday.

Herbsman

Corner well

Anonymous

Watch your position in the group, stay sheltered for as long as possible, in my experience 4th cat races are won by people the guys in the front 3rd of the bunch hardly notice. Watch for riders moving up on the outside edge as this will push you back in the group and you don't want to be there if there is a surge. Concentrate on staying with the group, the effort will be brutal initally but things will calm down. Is the race 1 hour plus 3 or 5 laps ? if it is make sure you are ready to go in the final laps, just watch your position because there will be bikes cutting everywhere for position. Enjoy yourself, it is something to be in a large group banging along at 25+mph, good times.
Good luck.

CakeLovinBeast

Well, I did it... And I fear that it's going to be more addictive than crack! That was particularly awesome good fun.

We had a good side out from the club - probably a dozen riders in all, with maybe six or eight of us in the 4ths race, including a couple of other first-timers. Race was supposed to be 1hr +1 lap, but they changed that at the start to 45 minutes +1. Big field - I heard some people saying that there were maybe 60 or 70 of us, though Ilton is wide enough to deal with that in any case. Weather was good too - the sun came out and other than a slight breeze to work against down the back section of the course, everything was good.

It was all about the learning experience for me - I guessed (rightly) that I wouldn't be contesting for points, so my sole aim was to stay with the bunch and not make too bit a fool of myself. We set off at a fair old clip - about 25 mph, but I was pleased with how easy I was finding it - that was the nice thing about the size of the bunch - lots of shelter! I was concentrating hard on my positioning, but also found it difficult to make decent progress due to being boxed in most of the time - I can see that positioning and tactics is going to be the steepest learning curve. Lap 2 I made the mistake of coming through on the outside and was unable to find a way back in. I found myself 2nd wheel and then quickly found myself on the front as the guy in front of me sat up. That was HARD! I managed a very short while into the wind before having to sit right up myself, my heartrate threatening meltdown...

I settled myself back into the bunch and tried to focus on the movement of the other people around me. I was concentrating hard on riding sensibly, but there were a couple of moments where people got a bit silly - trying to cut in, or riding for spaces that just weren't big enough. Fortunately, there weren't any crashes, but some people had words on a couple of occasions. I appreciate that there will be times when it's necessary to be more aggressive in my positioning, but race one of my career is not that time!

I realised on lap three that I'd not started my Garmin, bit of a pain, but not a massive deal - I just wanted the data for analysis later. I started to get a bit complacent and found myself drifting backwards, lulled by the purr of all the carbon wheelsets around me! I moved up the outside again, but similarly had trouble in getting myself back in out of the wind. A couple of individual breaks went, but the headwind down the back straight meant that nobody could stay out by themselves - it would take a decent break by a handful of riders all working together to be able to make it stick, and nobody seemed that organised.

The bell seemed to come earlier than expected, and as I expected, the pace then picked up to try and thin out the field. We were doing upwards of 30 most of the way round on the last lap, with one of my clubmates recording 39 as his maximum! I was fine in the bunch, but I knew about two bends back from the finish that I just wasn't going to have anything left in my legs for the finish. I pushed as hard as I could, but found myself going backwards towards the end, finishing in the bunch, but probably two-thirds of the way back, if not further.

All in all, it was awesome. I'm back again next weekend for more. I've learned a lot already, but still have loads more to learn, but I'm hoping to get to the point where I'm actually competing, as opposed to just joining in!

andyjee86

Thanks for sharing your experience, and well done- sounds like it was an educational and successful 1st race you. I have my 1st race on the 1st April so your insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks for being so descriptive too. Well done again and good luck next weekend.

Anonymous

Good stuff mate, good luck in the next one.

Herbsman

Nice one, glad it went well.

Monty Dog

Finishing in the bunch is a great achievement for your first race - many don't.

okgo

More down to people's lack of preparation than a sign of the difficulty though I think.

pickled

Well done mate. You did better than me in my first. I fell off...

Laser man

Which club are you a member of, OP? I live on the Devon-Somerset border and was wondering if you could give a recommendation.

CakeLovinBeast

Sorry for the late reply...

I ride with Mid-Devon CC, out of Kingsteignton; but if you're on the border then it's probably a bit far from you. In your area, the two clubs that I know of are Chard Wheelers and the Somerset Road Club - might be worth checking them out?

symo

James, thats rubbish, I am in Fleet and proudly rock the MDCC! Greatest CC in the world, if Carlsberg made cycling clubs they would still be worse than MDCC. Represent!

Pseudonym

"club member thinks his own club is best" shock....